Community

Group submits bid to host Bowling Congress tourney

By DEREK J. LARIVIERE, Bowling
Published September 11, 2007

There are many bowling events that make their way through Hernando County on a regular basis. Area centers host events with the Senior Bowlers of America, Amateur Bowlers Tour and even the PBA South Region. There is a chance that the county could host an event bigger than all of these soon.

Ronald Ditt, secretary of the Hernando County chapter of the U.S. Bowling Congress, said the local bowling association unofficially has submitted a bid to host the 2009 Florida State USBC Open Championships.

Unlike the other tournaments to come to this area over the years, the state open championships are an annual event. The SBA, ABT and PBA South hold monthly tournaments all over the country during the course of the year. The state championship is a rare honor because it is once a year.

Last season, the state tournament was held in Ocala. The event wrapped up in early July, and there were a few North Suncoast talents who fared quite well.

Brian Carney, a Beverly Hills resident in Citrus County, tossed a perfect game in the doubles event.

The bid will become official on Oct. 6 when representatives from the county bowling association will make a presentation to the state board.

At that time the Florida State USBC will make its decision about which community will host the event.

Jupiter and Boynton Beach are co-hosting the 2008 Florida State USBC Open Championships starting on May 3 of next year.

The event usually takes about two months to complete and brings a large amount of tourism to the area.

However, the tournament also can cause problems for regular patrons who will have problems squeezing in regular practice sessions while the state association is in town.

Many leagues undoubtedly will have to be postponed or rescheduled due to the overwhelming toll that such an event would take on the centers.

LOCAL REGULAR PASSES: Domenick Risola Sr., a regular at Spring Hill and Mariner Lanes, passed away Sept. 1 at age 55.

His wife, Carol, said Risola enjoyed his time on the lanes as much as anything else he did in life.

He was a regular among the group trips taken to the USBC Open Championships, including the event this past spring in Reno, Nev.

Although he never threw a perfect game, Risola had a USBC achievement immortalized on his record less than a year ago. Last November in the Kevin's Pro Shop League at Spring Hill, he tossed a 299 game.

Risola began bowling regularly in 2001. Since then, he saw his average rise from a 166 to a 194.

[Last modified September 10, 2007, 19:20:29]